johnfharding

O.k. guys I've got the harmonic balancer off the car and it is groved pretty good,, I have been told I should either get a new one or use a micro sleeve on the current one. How do I tell if the outer ring has slipped?

Also do I HAVE to take the timing cover off the car to replace the Harmonic balancer /Timing cover seal ,, or is there a way to get the seal out of the cover while it is still on the car? Its looking to me like I will need to remove the water pump, then loosen the oil pan,, and then pull the timing cover off the car and so forth.

Advice is appreciated,, looks like I'm hold up until tommorow anyway as I will probably have to order a micro sleeve or new balancer.

Allcoupedup

John,
If you're balancer is in good shape, the sleeve is the way to go. Could probably get the seal removed and installed with the cover on the motorbut I'm not sure how you'd get at it with a seal puller and a mallet to drive it back in. You might try to add a sleeve and toss the balancer back in to see what happens. If the rubber is smooth (not excessively cracked) and not squashed out all over the place it should be good to go.

sleeve picture
http://65corvette.nonethewiser.net/m...-16-04-011.JPG


On to your 2nd question about the outer ring slipping. In order to answer this question with any degree of certainty you need to find TDC. There were many different variations of balancer / timing chain tab combinations. The balancer will be correct if it lines up with 0 on the tab at TDC. Balancers have different keyway/mark offset combos and the tab has to be moved accordingly.

So --- what'm saying here is there is really no way to tell with out verifying TDC and seeing how it lines up with your tab.

Brian

johnfharding

mine has some very noticeable groves in it ,, I'm going to auto part store to get a micro sleeve and maybe a seal puller and some other stuff

67vetteal

Whatever path you fellas take, be certain to lubricate both the Micro Sleeve/New Pulley and the rubber on the seal. White lube via acid brush works fine. JMHO

johnfharding

anyone know where I can get a seal puller?

Allcoupedup

I stopped at the local autozone this AM for some brakefluid and saw one.

Brian

johnfharding

I will pick up a few things tommorow at the zone,,, do you think I should replace the water pump? How do you know if it should be replaced,, it would be really easy to do.

Allcoupedup

They make noise, the shaft wobbles, and they weep. Somtimes if they're really old the insides rust out. Unless it is an eyesore or acting up I'd leave it. Beware of project creep!!
Brian

johnfharding

I have it something terrible,, but only because I want it to be very road worthy.. I hate car trouble. I wiggled the snout,, it seems really tight no play and its quiet too. I'm going to the part store after work to get some parts and stuff

JohnZ

It's VERY rare for the outer ring to slip - it requires over 1,000 ft-lbs. of torque applied to the outer ring to shear the polymer insert. If the timing index mark on the outer ring is directly in line with the centerline of the keyway on the hub, it's OK.

Allcoupedup

.....If you have the correct cover and tab. My 8" balancer is not original and neither is my timing cover. The keyway and timing mark are offset but the tab is positioned on the cover accordingly. There are at least two different orientations of SBC balancers with respect to keyway/mark. The important note here is that you must use a matching pair.

Brian

JohnZ

The offsetting of the timing index mark on the balancer 9 degrees counter-clockwise from the keyway (and the corresponding change in the tab on the timing cover) occurred on passenger cars in 1969, and didn't occur on Corvettes until well into the C3 era. If someone installed a "late" balancer with the index line 9 degrees counter-clockwise from the keyway, you need a "late" timing cover with the same offset.

johnfharding

So I think I have the original McCoy here. I will be sleeving it and re installing the balancer. Thanks for the info. Sounds like I'm off to a pretty good start. I'm glad these things are original.

johnfharding

Finished up putting new seal and micro sleeve on today and It still is leaking. I'm completely stumped now. I don't really know what to do. A small stream of oil is still coming from the seal around the Harmonic Balancer.. any ideas. This is going to really make driving long Distances hard,, as the oil leaking is causing my oil consumption to be a lot more than a Quart every so often.

Any ideas what I should do now

JohnZ

Did you use a smear of sealer on the O.D. of the new seal where it mates with the depression in the timing cover?

Matt Gruber

i'd check to see if the seal support is centered on the crank.
pull the seal and select a drill bit to use as a check. if it is centered, one size will fit evenly around. if not, the cover is not centered and there is the cause of the leak, and wear marks
i'd inspect/replace the timing chain/gears
and buy a NEW not rebuilt WP, FP & all hoses prior to a long trip in an unknown car

johnfharding

I replaced the Micro Sleeve, but did not put sealer around the new seal that I pressed into the timing cover. I did purchase new oil pan gaskets the one piece expensive felpro perma seal or whatever. I also replaced the Water Pump, and a couple of old heater hoses. I re painted the oil pan an timing cover (painted prior to installing the seal). I didn't replace the timing chain or gears because the previous owner said the rebuild only had 12,000 miles on it when I bought it. I know he could be lying but the gears and chain looked good so I didn't mess with it. I don't know if the timing cover is centered or not, I didnt check that,, didn't know to check it OOPS.. I guess I need to pull the balancer back off and check that. if its not in the right place will have to adjust it I guess. I suppose I will have to pull the pump again. I am thinking that the timing cover not in proper position is the only thing it can be?

Subfixer

One other thing to check..... If you have a replacement oil pan (drain plug on drivers side vs at rear of pan), the front rubber gasket needs to be thicker than the original. You need a '74-up pan gasket set. Your leak could be at the front rubber pan gasket, and not the balancer seal.

johnfharding

I do have the original oil pan on the car. So I think I'm ok in that regard.

Subfixer

Ok, Just something I didn't know when I replaced my pan. What an oily mess that was......